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CHAT WEDNESDAY

Ask our Rutgers beat writer Keith Sargeant all about the Scarlet Knights’ move to the Big Ten during a chat at Scarlet Scuttlebutt at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. Go to APP.com/scarlet

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Mike Rice’s favorite mantra is coming in handy this week, with news his Rutgers men’s basketball program will be playing in the Big Ten in two years.

“I tell my players all the time, you can only worry about what you can control,” Rice said. “What conference we join is not my decision, but moving forward into the Big Ten, we have an opportunity for stability and security for our athletic department. I’m excited for us to be associated with those prestigious universities.”

But like everyone who grew up on college basketball, Rice has a tinge of regret about leaving the Big East.

“I’m excited about the future with the Big Ten and advancing our program to make it successful in that league,” Rice said, “but certainly the Big East was an incredible conference with such tradition, with such coaches and players, that this is a dramatic change for our program.”

The move is a mixed bag for men’s hoops, but one change certainly will be for the better: The impending renovation of the Louis Brown Athletic Center just got a huge financial shot in the arm.

“Moving forward, I know the focus will be on the renovation of the RAC,” Rice said. “Hopefully with joining the Big Ten, that process can move farther along and quicker.”

Women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer is also looking forward to the change.

“I don’t think there is any question that (athletics director Tim Pernetti) is going to do the right thing,” she said. “This is great for all of us, the RAC, football, track, everybody. We will just sit back and watch. It’s all going to change for the better.”

Stringer knows the Big Ten better than just about anyone at Rutgers. She coached at the University of Iowa for 13 seasons before coming to Piscataway in 1995.

“I’ve always been proud to be a member of the Big Ten,” she said. “Of course I’ve enjoyed my time in the Big East, but when you have that brand all you have to do is say ‘Big Ten.’ ”

Stringer said she will try to schedule games against the Scarlet Knights’ best Big East rivals, Connecticut and Notre Dame. Like Rice, she also said recruiting would not be affected. If anything, new doors might be opened.

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“Because we live here in the East, we will still be able to work with players that are highly skilled and then be able to get some of the great players that are there in the Midwest, the great shooters, the people that can put it together,” she said. “Maybe we can get the best of both worlds because right now we haven’t gotten enough of a blend of what we want and what we need to have.”

From a competition standpoint, the Big Ten is stronger than the Big East in most sports.

“For us it’s having to compete with a bunch of teams in the Big Ten that are national powers,” men’s soccer coach Dan Donigan said. “Our job just continues to get harder and harder in a sense. But at the same time, that's why I’m in it.”

Bottom line: Donigan is glad Rutgers has a permanent home.

“When you’re going through (uncertainty) this last year, it was tough. But now just to know we're going to be part of the Big Ten and moving forward is an incredible secure feeling for us,” he said. “We’re thrilled about it. Our team, our student-athletes, they know the prestige of Big Ten men's soccer. As coaches, selfishly you think about those things. Is this a good move for us? And, for us, absolutely it’s fantastic.”

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